Everything you need for a smooth trip to China. Practical tips on visa requirements, top apps to download, payment methods (Alipay & WeChat Pay), internet/VPN access, and essential cultural etiquette—written specifically for English speakers.
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 Most hotels in China can accommodate international visitors, but it's worth confirming that a property can process foreign passports before you book. A listing may not make its check-in requirements clear, especially if you're booking through a third-party platform. Then
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 China's high-speed rail is one of the most convenient ways to travel between many major cities. Trains are fast and comfortable, and large stations can feel more like airports than traditional railway stations. The fastest Beijing–Shanghai services take a little over four
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 You'll see it within an hour of landing. Someone buys a coffee by holding up their phone. Someone else pays a street vendor by scanning a code taped to a cart. Cash and bank cards are still options, but mobile payments are widely used
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 Here's the situation in one sentence: many apps you use every day may not work on an ordinary mainland Chinese internet connection, and it's much better to discover that at home than in a taxi outside the airport. This guide explains which
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 Getting mobile data right makes almost everything else easier when travelling in China. You'll use your phone for maps, translation, mobile payments, train bookings and contacting hotels. Arrive without a connection and even simple tasks can become frustrating. The good news is that you
Practical Guide
Last reviewed: October 2026 China is one of those trips that's easy to love and slightly intimidating to plan. The high-speed trains are fantastic. The food changes every few hundred kilometres. You can walk from a glass skyscraper district into a 600-year-old lane in ten